Daybreak
by uriekuki
Summary: There's a fine line between hero and villain. (The fourth and final addition to the Game of Blood series.)
1. She Strikes

_'You taught me the courage of the stars before you left  
_ _How light carries on, even after death  
_ _With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite  
_ _How rare and beautiful it is to even exist.'_

 _Saturn - Sleeping at Last_

/ - \

 **Chapter One: She Strikes**

Under the sun's watchful eye, but tucked into the shadows cast by pines, she sat. The air was warm and the forest brimming with life; a far cry from the moons of cold and hunger, a time that had seemed to stretch on forever. Leaf bare's curse had been broken, finally, and the Clans freed from despair. Yet she still sat in the shadows, listening, watching. Her whole life had been spent surrounded by danger. The sense of peace trying to settle over her was new and strange, she wasn't used to it, didn't know if she ever _would_ be used to it. So each day, in between her duties as a warrior, she left the camp and came to this patch of pine trees to sit with the shadows.

They weren't as lively as they had been. Perhaps with the defeat of the Elementals they'd realised they were no longer of great use to their Shadowstalker. It worried her sometimes, when she reached out to them and got only a weak murmur in response. What if something did happen? What if a new danger arose and she was left to face it without her shadows?

A spatter of embers fluttered about her muzzle; the effect of a power she had but didn't really trust. Cyrith knew she'd stolen his power now. The look of fatherly disappointment certainly hadn't helped her guilt for lying to him. He was helping her get used to it, to the unpredictable flames that now lurked in her blood. There was no one left alive that could help her tame the unruly wind - that was up to her to muddle through.

There was a creek nearby - quick to flood when it rained - that covered the sound of approaching footsteps. "I knew I'd find you here," Willowclaw said. "You know Cyrith calls this your 'brooding' spot right?"

"He told me yesterday; he is right, I do come here to think." She turned away from the pines, towards the sun and Willowclaw. A softness had made its way over him in the few moons since Crimson's final defeat, something gentle that had settled into his bones. He watched her now with a small smile. "Not that Cyrith knows what thinking is."

"I'm going to tell him you said that, Sunheart," he teased.

"Please do," Sunheart retorted. "The look on his face will make my day. Do you need something or have you come to brood with me?"

He shook his head. "Stripepaw and Breezepaw's warrior ceremony is starting soon. Icestar sent me to fetch you, said you wouldn't want to miss it."

"I bet they're excited," Sunheart said, dropping into a long stretch. She'd sat in the shade for too long, bones popping. They left her pine tree patch together, side by side. He was still taller than her, and he made sure she remembered it. "Has Icestar told you what their names are going to be?"

"No, she's kept them secret. Wouldn't want you finding out and ruining the surprise for them, would we?" Willowclaw purred.

Sunheart gasped, "I would _never_."

"How did you feel before your ceremony?" he asked.

She ducked under a low-hanging branch. "Well I didn't know when it was going to happen; I didn't have an assessment or anything like that. But...I felt relieved. Despite everything I'd done, despite who I _was,_ who my mother was, the Clan trusted me enough to let me become a warrior. StarClan could have rejected me, told Icestar I had no place among the Clans, but they didn't. It was a good feeling."

"You know you'll always have a place among us, don't you?"

"I do now."

It was quieter than the basin had ever been but ShadowClan's camp was still loud. Sunheart could hear Willowclaw's kits playing before she even reached the tumble of fallen trees. Passing under them she'd used to feel the shadows reaching out to her; now they stayed back, nestled in their wooden crevices. The Clan was already mostly gathered in front of the log Icestar spoke from. She wasn't there, instead tossing a mossball to her kits. Cyrith stood behind them, watchful eye cast over the kits.

Willowclaw called to Icestar and she grinned at him, leaving the kits with Cyrith to look after to make her way over to them. "You found her."

"She was in her brooding spot," he replied, leaning over to nuzzle her.

"Because that's all I do there, brood," Sunheart snorted. "Not to escape your unruly kits."

Icestar stifled a laugh. "They're only unruly if you refuse to do what they want."

"Oh, great, so next time they ask me to take them to the river I'll say yes!" Sunheart purred.

"Do not. We will never get them to stay in camp again," Willowclaw warned.

"Now that you two are back we can finally start the ceremony. I'm sure Breezepaw and Stripepaw have really enjoyed waiting. Stripepaw can hardly sit still." Right in front of the log sat the two apprentices, and Icestar was right, Stripepaw was bouncing his forepaws. Sunheart shifted her gaze from him to Breezepaw only to find him already looking at her. He offered a warm smile and she gave a flustered one back.

He turned away when Icestar hopped onto the log, face falling into seriousness and poorly concealed excitement. Sunheart wondered, briefly, what it felt like to finally achieve something you'd strived your entire life for; wondered what a Clanborn cat truly felt in the moments before being named a warrior.

"We've gathered today to honour the hard work of two apprentices. It has been a strange couple of moons and these two have done all within their power to help wherever they could. I am grateful for their hard work, as I sure the rest of you are." There were murmured agreements. "As leader of ShadowClan I call upon our ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices and see all they have done, all the hardships they have faced, all the good deeds. Their mentors, in different Clans now, would agree that they are ready for what comes next. Breezepaw, Stripepaw, do you promise to uphold the Code and defend the Clan with everything you have?"

Breezepaw was drowned out by Stripepaw's enthusiastic shout, "I do!"

Their leader inclined her head, a show of respect to the two apprentices that had survived Crimson. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Breezepaw, you will now be known as Breezepool. We honour your loyalty and your kindness. Stripepaw, you will be known as Stripefang. We honour your spirit and cleverness. You are now both warriors of ShadowClan." Icestar grinned at them as the Clan shouted their names.

Sunheart couldn't help but laugh at the discomfort growing on Breezepool's face. It was strange having everyone shout your name at you. With the warriors named the meeting was over and the Clan broke up. Some surrounded the new warriors with pleased purrs, offering congratulations. Others retired to the shade supplied by the trees ringing the camp. Marah took to her den, Rainkit chasing after her demanding she show him all the herbs. The kits, tired after a long day playing, were nudged sleepily into the nursery where a soft nest waited.

"Are you going to congratulate your friends?" Willowclaw asked quietly.

She hadn't noticed that he was still even there. "Of course I am. I was just thinking."

"You've been doing a lot of that lately. Let go a little, Sunheart. The world is safe. _We're_ safe. Relax, enjoy your life. You've earned it," he said, cuffing her gently as left. Cyrith met him just outside the nursery. Watching them, her family, always warmed her. They'd gotten the happiness they had fought so hard for, the happiness they'd lost so much for. To see them living the life they'd always wanted made all the suffering seem worth it.

Perhaps it was time to let go. Willowclaw was right. They weren't in danger anymore, she didn't need to worry. Maybe it was time to find her own happiness. With that in mind she glanced back up at her friends. Something hard lodged itself in her throat and sunk low into her stomach. Bumblenose had beat her to them, tucked up close to Breezepool, eyes full of wonder. They were listening to Stripefang list all the things he was going to do now that he was free from apprentice duties. She pushed past the hardness - it wasn't important - and joined them.

"I'm going to spend all day out in the forest hunting," Stripefang was saying, "and no one's going to be able to stop me."

"Except maybe the leader and the deputy," Sunheart interrupted.

Stripefang frowned. "You always ruin my fun," he whined.

"You're a mature warrior now, you have to act like one," Bumblenose snarked.

Breezepool laughed, deep and loud. "She's right you know. We're the face of ShadowClan now, we can't spend all day playing in the forest." He jostled Bumblenose off his side and jumped to his paws. "Come on, let's go catch some prey to share later."

"I'm going to catch more prey than all of you," Stripefang promised with a wink.

"Well now I have to catch more just to spite you," Sunheart purred.

They left camp together, veering into the forest far from her pine patch. She stayed away from Bumblenose and Breezepool. Something about the way Bumblenose looked at Breezepool sat strangely with her. Rather than think about what it could be she let Stripefang's competitive energy sweep her away, dashing through the forest after fat squirrels. Still, she couldn't quite shake the disappointment that curled in her gut when she turned back to tell Breezepool something only to find his attention occupied solely by Bumblenose.

/ - \

She was falling.

Into shadow and darkness. Into nothing.

It was a slow descent this time, not like the last hurried plummet into inky depths. There was no one yelling at her, no one demanding she pull away; it was silent save for the wind rushing by her ears. The plummet abruptly stopped, paws gently touching the smooth rock of the Edge. On either side of the thin rock was pure blackness. Far, _far_ above shone a steady, white light. She visited here often now, most nights in fact. Each time she was alone. Each time she felt that same temptation to step into the waiting darkness. Yet each time she refused.

This time felt distinctly different. In the shadows beyond the Edge something was stirring. She could feel it, _sense_ it. So she turned away from the light and peered down, searching the endless dark for whatever lurked below.

A quiet voice, a hiss. " _I see you._ " She jerked back, hindpaws near slipping off the otherside. The black shifted, stirred. From within it opened two eyes, burning amber. " _I am coming for you_. _You can't escape this, you can't escape me_." A great paw emerged, thick claws sinking into the stone beside her. " _I will_ destroy _you."_

Sunheart jolted awake, breath caught in her throat, heart hammering in her chest. Frantically she searched the warriors den, eyes jumping from corner to corner till she was satisfied that whatever had been beyond the Edge hadn't followed her out. Dawn filtered in through the den mouth and she needed to sit in its light, needed to remind herself that it was only a dream; the Edge was far away, it could never hurt her. As she scrambled out of her nest she heard Breezepool murmur sleepily nearby, "Sunheart?"

"I'm fine," she whispered, "go back to sleep."

He mumbled something, then rolled over, tail flicking up over his nose. Satisfied that he wasn't about to follow her out and pester her with questions, Sunheart crept from the den. Outside the dawn patrol was shifting sleepily towards the forest - Pebblefrost murmured something to Soaringhawk and he barked out a laugh. Crowstrike waved his tail at Sunheart as they left.

Like she always did when things became a little too much, when the fire burning beneath her skin threatened to burst free, she escaped to her pine patch. The cool of dawn soothed the heat thrumming through her veins, and the quiet calmed the panic. All the times she'd visited the Edge she had been alone. There wasn't another Shadowstalker alive and even if they were she didn't know if they could meet down there. So what had it been? What had emerged from inky blackness and threatened her?

Something cold touched her cheek and she jumped, but it was only a thin shadow stretching from the pines. Absently she tugged it closer, humming quietly while she worked, till the shadow was a glossy black feather.

Long after the sun had risen fully Icestar found her in the pines, tucked into some exposed roots, eyes focused on something far away. "I need you to come with me," she said, leaning down to nose at Sunheart's head. "But if you need more time to yourself I can go myself."

"No," Sunheart replied, uncurling from the roots and shaking bark free from her fur, "I'm fine. Where are we going?"

Icestar was silent for a moment, studying Sunheart. Whatever she was looking for she didn't find and relaxed slightly. "ThunderClan. Risingwhisper died." A pain struck her heart. No Clan cat had died since the new Clans were formed. It was strange to think that death would still be a constant in their world; it would never go away. Life had to continue, and that meant death needed to as well.

"I'm sorry." She licked Icestar's shoulder. "You two were friends, weren't you?"

"Friends is a strong word. We put up with each other. She listened to me when I needed to talk, and I spent time with her when she needed to not be alone," Icestar answered. "She was a good cat, one of the few truly old Clanners; she was there when RisingClan formed and she was there when it fell apart. She saw alot in her lifetime."

Sunheart smiled, "let's go say goodbye then."

In ThunderClan's airy forest all her troubles seemed so very far away. It was hard to worry about what lurked in the darkness when the sun warmed her very bones and the forest teemed with life. _A dream, it was only a dream._ Shiverstar was waiting for them outside her camp - a shallow dip in the forest, nests curled into the side of trees. The two leaders bumped heads, purring.

"It's good to see you again," Shiverstar said to Icepetal. "You too, Sunheart. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

Before either could say another word Arrow came barrelling up the incline, wide grin plastered across his muzzle. Sunheart had little warning before he knocked into her, sending them both tumbling to the grass. " _Arrow!_ " she laughed, "get off!"

"No. You hardly ever come visit me anymore so now I've decided that I'm just going to smother you every time we see each other," he retorted, nose buried in the fur around her neck.

She sighed and let him remain crushing her to the ground for a little longer before she flicked him off with gust of wind. "I've missed you too," she said.

"The life of a deputy is hard," Arrow sighed. "You need to come bless me with your presence more often, okay?" It had been moons since Tornheart's death but there was still a light missing in his eyes, a part of him Sunheart feared they'd never get back. He tried though. He tried so hard. She thought he was so very brave to keep going.

"Yeah, I'll come see you more," she promised.

Shiverstar flicked her deputy with her tail. "Are you done now? You need to check on the apprentices training."

"I'm sure your kits are doing fantastically. I'll check on them anyway," he purred, leaning over to lick Sunheart's forehead. "See you soon!"

"Splashpaw's preparing Risingwhisper in the medicine den," Shiverstar explained, ushering them into the camp and leading them over to a hollow log. Maplepaw, now Mapleclaw, meowed a greeting as they passed.

Icestar flicked her ears back. "How did you find her?"

"In her nest, like she'd died in her sleep. We would have thought nothing less if Splashpaw hadn't smelled deathberries on her. She ate them and then died," she answered and ducked into the log. "Maybe she decided her time was finally up. StarClan knows she was an old cat. It's a shame to see her go."

Stretched out on the cool wood Risingwhisper looked like she was fast asleep. Her fur was smooth, patches of gray showing her age. Knelt down by her side Splashpaw continued to groom her mentor steadily. Grief spoke in the slump of her shoulders.

"She ate the deathberries herself?" Icestar asked curiously.

"I can't imagine what else could have happened," Shiverstar said. "You have to remember she grew up in a Clan drastically different from the one you did. Perhaps this was something their elders did when wasting away became too much. I can't imagine how heavy the world must feel when you're as old as she was."

Sunheart felt the shadows in the log hum quietly to her. "I hope she's happy now," she murmured.

"I bet she's telling all sorts of stories up in StarClan," Shiverstar replied warmly. "I sent for you so you could say goodbye, Icestar. You and her were close enough that I figured you'd want to see her one last time."

"Thank you. We'll be out of your fur soon, I know you have a Clan to run," Icestar smiled.

Shiverstar snorted. "Sometimes it feels like an impossible job, but I can always find time to see you two." She nipped at Sunheart's ears. "You're always welcome to visit. Arrow misses the both of you a lot, Willowclaw too. Sometimes I think he wishes we were all in one Clan together." With that said she slipped out of the medicine den.

While Icestar made herself comfortable by Risingwhisper's head Sunheart crossed the den to stand by Splashpaw. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," the apprentice sniffled. "She seemed okay last night, her usual self. I just wish she'd spoken to me. I don't know how I'm going to finish my training without her."

"Marah can help. She's still training Minnowstripe a little. I can ask her when I get back, if you want?"

"Oh, thank you!" Splashpaw beamed, "I just want to be able to look after ThunderClan like Risingwhisper did. She was so good at everything and I want to make her proud."

Sunheart knew how Splashpaw felt, she'd been there before, knew what _needing_ to make someone proud was. "I bet she's already proud of you. You'll be a great medicine cat."

Whatever Icestar said to Risingwhisper it was quick and quiet. They left not long after, pausing only to say goodbye to Arrow. Sunheart could tell there was something on Icestar's mind but they remained silent while they walked through ThunderClan's territory. Did she think Risingwhisper's death was strange? Eating deathberries seemed extreme. But she'd never known the elder very well. Maybe she had simply been tired.

It wasn't until they were far into ShadowClan territory that Icestar spoke. "Keep an eye out for anything strange."

"For what?"

She shrugged, "I don't know but I do know Risingwhisper wasn't the kind of cat to just lay down and die."

"You think she was force fed the deathberries?" Sunheart pressed.

"I think it's a possibility," Icestar replied hesitantly.

She scrunched up her nose. "But who would do that?"

"That's the concern."

/ - \

Breezepool gave her a strange look when she curled up in her nest that night. He might have said something if Bumblenose hadn't dropped into her nest beside him, voice loud as she spoke. Sunheart was almost grateful for the interruption. She had things to do. Risingwhisper's death was still bothering her, it just didn't seem right. So just before she fell asleep she pictured a golden beach.

The sound of the waves crashing into the sand greeted her first. Then the beat of a warm sun on her back, heating her fur, warming her bones. Beneath her paws the gritty sand shifted. She opened her eyes to an afterlife she would one day come home to. Thick white clouds massed far out on the horizon over the ocean, stretching into a picturesque blue sky. Sunlight glinted off the clear water.

Playing in the shallows, splashing water about without a care in the world, was Leon; gold fur plastered to his sides. He was calling to Soran, trying to tempt him into the water. Soran looked displeased where he sat further up the beach out of reach of Leon's splashing. Neither of them noticed her appearance, far too caught up in each other. It was until she sat down next to Soran and flicked sand at him that they realised she'd come to visit.

"Sunheart!" Leon called happily from the water. "You've come to see us!"

"I promised I would, didn't I?" she replied.

The afterlife was quieter now. Sheara had been cast from it, her powers stripped and given back to the world. Shaken by the betrayal of one of their own, Murai and Reyn had disappeared into the furthest parts of their afterlife. In the steep mountains that lurked on the horizon Murai let those that worshipped her catch a glimpse of their goddess. Beyond the thick forest that embraced the river were endless grasslands. Reyn wandered them, lost and unsure. Soran hadn't wanted to leave the ocean, or his shadowed nest by the river; Leon had stayed with him.

She'd come to talk to them about Risingwhisper and about the worries that surrounded her death but seeing them, so happy and content, she held back. This was their life, playing by the ocean in the warm sun, enjoying a peaceful eternity after a life filled with pain. Her life was not theirs. Her worries, her troubles, they were not their burdens to bear. Instead she slipped a smile onto her face and answered all the questions Leon shot her way about being a warrior.

Beside her she could feel Soran watching her. Did he know about the dream? Did he know about her visits to the Edge?

The ocean was cool when she stepped into it - coaxed in by Leon. They played, splashing water and pushing each other into the waves. As Leon emerged from a wave coughing and spluttering Sunheart wondered how old he had been when he'd died. He didn't look old, not in the same way Willowclaw or Cyrith did; it was something in the way they moved, like their moons of life had weighed heavy on their bones.

Soran strayed down to the water's edge, the golden patch of fur on his flank shining. He wasn't wholly good, he never would be; the things he'd done when alive would stay with him forever. But he was growing, changing. Perhaps Leon had softened him, or he had softened himself. Whatever it was Sunheart was glad for it. Soran had helped her. Without him she might have let her power win. She hoped he could learn to be happy someday, _truly_ happy. The way he looked at Leon told her that one day he would be.

The setting sun found them curled up on the sand, Sunheart stretched out on her back staring up at the fading blue sky and Leon flung across Soran's side. "I know something's wrong," Soran said quietly. "You can talk to us."

"It's not really important," she answered.

Soran nipped at her flank. "If it's bothering you then it's important. Tell us."

"Risingwhisper died today." It fell out before she could stop it.

"She was old, Sunheart. But I'm sorry," Leon murmured.

"But she didn't just die in her sleep. She ate deathberries."

Sand shifted as Soran flinched. "She did what?"

"When we got to ThunderClan's camp Shiverstar told us Risingwhisper had eaten deathberries. It was pretty obvious that she believes Risingwhisper did it willingly," she replied.

"You don't?" Leon asked.

Sunheart shook her head. "I don't know. I'd like to think that it was Risingwhisper's decision, that she wanted to die, but I can't believe that entirely. Icestar said Risingwhisper wasn't the kind of cat to die without a fight."

"I can't imagine anyone wanting to die like that," Soran said. "But I didn't know her so I can't say for sure. It just seems odd. If there is something more sinister going on, Sunheart, you are still a Shadowstalker, and a warrior. You're perfectly capable of looking after yourself and your Clans."

"Yeah, I know, I just thought all the death and worrying was finally finished."

He leaned over and pressed his nose into her fur. "Try not to worry about it too much. Besides, if something really was wrong your StarClan would warn you about it, wouldn't they?"

"I don't know."

/ - \

A little under a moon later Sunheart sat on the edge of the forest on the Isle listening to Icestar tell the gathered Clans that her kits had been apprenticed. Rainpaw looked petrified where he sat beside Marah, eyes darting all over the place. Sunheart supposed it was scary for an apprentice's first proper trip outside the camp to be a gathering. At her side Stripefang was trying to impress a few apprentices with his grand tales of warriorhood but they all ignored him pointedly. Breezepool attempted to get his attention before one of the older warriors hissed at him for being a nuisance but Stripefang was having none of it. Endlessly amused by her friend's poor attempts at mingling outside the Clan, Sunheart stifled laughter.

Shiverstar had already announced Risingwhisper's death taking care to not mention _how_ the medicine cat had died. In the days that had passed Sunheart had begun to wonder if there was anything sinister about it. Nothing else had happened. She sent out shadows every now and again to check ShadowClan's territory but each time they came back with nothing.

"It's most likely nothing but I felt the need to tell you all just in case." Stormstar caught her attention. The blue-gray tom looked a little apprehensive, like what he was about to say might cause trouble. She shifted and Breezepool glanced at her. "A strange scent has been noticed on some of our borders. It's hard to describe what it is exactly, but it's not a Clan cat. I don't want to cause panic or worry, and whatever this scent belongs to hasn't bothered any of us, but I thought you should all be made aware of it."

" _Sunheart."_

She whipped her head around, staring into the dark forest behind her. Only shadows stared back.

The leaders began to talk about their queens, Shiverstar saying, "Whitestream gave birth to two healthy kits, Nightkit and Eaglekit."

A prickling sensation erupted at the base of her spine. " _Sunheart."_ It was the same voice as that night on the Edge, a rough hiss. Hot amber eyes flashed in her memory. Why was it talking to her now? _How?_ She wasn't on the Edge, she was nowhere near it. The things down there couldn't get out. It laughed, grating and cold. " _Will you believe I'm real when I stand over your body?"_

She felt sick. Mumbling a hurried excuse she scrambled from the grass and disappeared into the shadows. Her paws slipped and stumbled, head spinning. " _Am I still a part of your imagination, Sunheart?"_ It spat her name like it tasted foul. Grass turned to sandy dirt under her paws and the moonlight caught the river, glinting off its surface.

 _You aren't real. You aren't real. You aren't real._

The water was cold, lapping at her paws. She stared down into it, at her reflection wobbling on its surface, and bit back a scream. A dark mass hovered over her head, not quite feline but something else, something with a thin, long muzzle and teeth that poked out over its lips. " _Aren't I?"_

"Sunheart?"

A fish splashed nearby disturbing the water. When it settled the creature was gone. Sunheart sagged, head hanging low, throbbing and aching. Fur brushed against hers and she jumped, reaching out for her shadows before she could realised that it was only Breezepool. He eyed the half formed shadow cat, "sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine, I didn't mean to do that," she flicked her tail at the shadow cat. She let it crumble and fall, its shadows slithering back to where they'd come from. "Sorry."

He nudged her shoulder. "Are you okay? You seemed pretty spooked."

The sick feeling was beginning to pass and her heart was slowing its rapid pace. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Just needed some air."

Breezepool tilted his head, "you know you can talk to me right? You don't need to suffer in silence. I'm here and so is your family."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Something about him soothed her, made her feel safe. Maybe...maybe she could tell him a little bit. Not all of it. No, she didn't need anyone knowing about the creature her imagination had coughed up. "It's just memories and nightmares," she whispered.

He shifted slightly closer. "I was scared for you," he said. "When Ice showed up and you made us run all I could think about was you dying alone on the river. I didn't want to leave you to fight her alone but I knew I couldn't do anything to help. Sometimes I have nightmares where you don't come back alive, where she wins." He twitched the stub of his right ear, "I have nightmares about the wolf that did this to me too."

"I..I had no idea," she mumbled. On the ice that day her head had been filled with her powers vying for control. She hadn't been able to think of anything else. It made her feel guilty to know that others had worried for her while she hadn't given them a second thought. What would she have felt if Breezepool hadn't made it? The thought came with an ache in her heart; she didn't want to think about what losing him would feel like.

"I never told anyone, I kept it to myself. But now you know. We all still have nightmares about it, Sunheart, though I can imagine that yours are a little worse. Please, talk to me. I want to be there for you but I can't read minds," he smiled. "Promise me you'll talk to me."

She let her eyes wander over his face. Warmth spread from her heart. "I promise."

Breezepool's smile grew, "come on, let's get back. I bet Stripefang's gotten himself into trouble without us to watch over him."

It felt then, in that moment, that nothing could go wrong. The voice was nothing more than her imagination feeding off her nightmares. Risingwhisper had died of her own choice. The Clans were safe. The valley was peaceful. Everything was okay. But there was a darkness brewing that no one was prepared for. Late that night, when the moon was low and the sun close by, Blackfoot stumbled into ShadowClan's camp wide-eyed and panting. Blood was smeared across his muzzle. Awoken by the guards yowls Sunheart watched their peace crumble with only a few spoken words.

"Fadedtail's been attacked."

* * *

disclaimer: this fits in between chapter 40 and 41 of eod but 41 was written before this was planned so expect discrepancies.


	2. She Kills

**Chapter Two: She Kills**

The herbs in her mouth tasted bitter, smelled even worse. Hurrying alongside her Marah had only a stick wrapped in sticky cobwebs between her teeth. Sunheart wrinkled her nose. They'd burst onto WindClan's grasslands following Blackfoot closely as the warrior hurried through the grass, fear for his Clanmate spilling into the air. Icestar hadn't said a word when Marah had called Sunheart to help her, only nodded her permission and returned to her den. Behind them Rainpaw stumbled, mouth opening around a surprised mew. An apprentice by only a few days and he was already about to witness life at its worst.

He jumped and flinched at every noise. His eyes darted all over the place. Sunheart couldn't blame him for being scared. The grasslands were eerie at night, bleached white by the moon, pockets bathed in deep shadow. She slowed her pace to lope alongside him. "You're fine," she said. "We won't let anything happen to you." _The valley is safe_ , she wanted to say, but was it? What was lurking just out of sight?

"I know. Thank you," he mumbled.

"You don't need to thank me, Rainpaw."

It was hard to tell when grassland turned to camp. One moment they were pushing through ankle-deep grass and the next they were surrounded by WindClan, heads popping out of rabbit dens dug into the side of low hills. Blackfoot gave them little notice, continuing through the rabbit dens till he came to the largest. The scent of blood pooled from it. Rainpaw quivered and Sunheart nudged him soothingly. She was glad they couldn't see her own fear, that she kept it locked up tight. Their peace once strong and unwavering looked fragile and about to shatter.

"Minnowstripe's inside," Blackfoot explained. "Please, _please_ help Fadedtail."

"We will do what we can," Marah replied.

Inside the rabbit den the dirt walls widened and a small cavern grew under the hill. Nests of moss and bracken lay scattered haphazardly; most were empty save for one near the back of the den. Minnowstripe was bent over a writhing Fadedtail, frantically trying to keep the deputy still so she could work on her wounds. Spread over her side were four long, deep scratch marks. Numerous smaller scratches and bite marks bled, but those four were the worst. A puddle of red was steadily growing, staining Minnowstripe's gray paws.

"Talk to me, Minnowstripe," Marah demanded. "The wounds, how deep, how bad, will they need herbs, you know the drill. Sunheart put the herbs you've got down over here. Rainpaw, come sit here and just watch."

Through gritted teeth Minnowstripe spoke, "I wouldn't be this concerned about wounds like this if it weren't for these ones on her side. They're deep, really deep, but they've got a strange scent to them. It's why I sent for you. Fadedtail seems to be in more pain than I would expect for these wounds."

"Let me see."

There was a faraway look in Fadedtail's eyes as she released a thin, croaky cry. She jerked under Marah's questing paws, back bowing, and more blood leaked from her side. "Strange," Marah murmured. "These wounds on her side, they smell like deathberries."

Sunheart flinched. "They what?"

"Somehow deathberry juice got into the scratches. I've never seen it before but I can imagine that's why she's in so much pain. Minnowstripe, is there a pond nearby? We need water to wash the wound but it needs to be fresh, none of that seawater."

"Uh, yes, just over the hill there's a small pond," Minnowstripe replied while hastily wrapping Fadedtail's other wounds in cobwebs.

"Use those powers of yours to get water, Sunheart. We need enough to wash these scratches out," Marah ordered.

She slipped out of the den, mind whirring. Deathberries again. Surely it wasn't just a coincidence? How did it even get into Fadedtail's wound? Sunheart was even more convinced now that something was going on that no one was aware of. Warriors didn't just _get_ attacked anymore; all that had stopped with the Elementals and Crimson's defeat, Amory's too. So why was it happening again? Who was it? What did they want?

The pool was nestled in the dip between two hills, cupped in the roots of two thin trees. Sunheart pulled shadows from the grass and dipped them into the water - through them she felt its chill. Satisfied with the amount of water she'd collected she pulled it from the water, safe in a ball of shadow. An unsettling feeling crawled up her spine and set her fur bristling. It wasn't like the feeling on the Edge, it was much more... _real._ Something was watching her; she could feel their eyes burning holes in her pelt.

But she didn't have the time to wonder if the eyes belonged to an enemy or a friend. There was a cat in need of her help.

Marah was crouched over Fadedtail's head when Sunheart backed into the den, ball of water following her slowly, watching the warrior vomit. "Well, she hasn't eaten any deathberries," Marah observed, pausing to give Fadedtail a comforting lick on the head, "so she isn't doing to die of poisoning. If we can't fix this wound however, it will get infected and she will die that way. Sunheart, pour that water over her wound; slowly, though, don't just drown it."

Under Minnowstripe's watchful eye Sunheart opened up a sliver in her shadow ball and let the water slip out. It filled up the deep gouges, then spilled out and over her fur. Fadedtail flinched and bit back a pained cry. The water turned from clear to red. When it was all gone she let go of the shadows and let them flit back to their places among the roots. Up close Sunheart could study the wound, trace its shape with her eyes. They were claw marks, there was no mistaking that - she raised a paw, unsheathed her claws and let them hover in the air just over it. They almost matched, just a little longer.

"Cat claw marks," she murmured.

"Did you say something?" Minnowstripe asked, shuffling through some herbs.

Sunheart snatched back her paw before either medicine cat could notice. "No. I didn't."

"Hopefully," Marah said, "that should have rinsed any and all deathberry traces away. We'll just have to wait and see. Minnowstripe, watch it closely. If it starts to get worse let me know immediately. You can treat it like a normal wound for now."

"Thank you," she purred.

Marah nodded. "We best be leaving then. Come on, Sunheart, Rainpaw. Icestar will be waiting for us."

Outside Heatherstar was waiting for them, restlessly pacing, ears flicked back. "Is Fadedtail going to be okay?" she demanded, ceasing her pacing in front of them. "Please tell me she's going to be okay."

"We have done all we can, now we just have to wait. Rainpaw, tell Heatherstar what we discovered was wrong," Marah ordered.

"There was deathberry poison in the big wound on her side, but she hadn't eaten any. So we washed out the wound to get rid of the poison but we won't know if we got it all out till the wound either heals or gets worse," he answered without hesitation.

Heatherstar lashed her tail, agitated. "Deathberry poison in her wound? How did it get there?"

"I can only assume it was on her attacker's claws, unless she rolled in a patch after being half-killed," Marah snorted. "Do you mind if we leave? My apprentice has had a long night, and Sunheart has warrior duties."

"Of course not. Thank you for your help, all three of you. I am glad that even as separate Clans we can still turn to each other for help. Tell Icestar I am most grateful," the WindClan leader said. "Stay safe."

Sunheart almost wanted to ask Heatherstar what they were supposed to stay safe from. The creature lurking the valley, slipping poison into their victims, had no face, no name, no shape. They were a phantom, a ghost. But she kept her mouth closed, brushed her tail across the leader's side, and followed Marah back into WindClan's grassland. She listened while Marah praised her apprentice, while she told him that he'd make a great medicine cat one day. She was quiet but her mind was not.

The claw marks had belonged to a cat. A cat had attacked Fadedtail and no Clan had picked up scent or sign of rogues inside the valley. That could mean only one thing: a Clan cat was responsible for Fadedtail's injuries, and quite possible Risingwhisper's death. If they were still stuck up in the mountains waiting to die then she could understand a warrior snapping and turning to murder. But they were at peace now. Their lives were filled with mundane chores, hunting and patrolling, taking care of the young and the old. Why would anyone turn to murder now?

She had not forgotten the uneasy feeling of unseen eyes watching her. Out on the grasslands, under the setting moon, she felt exposed. The grass was long enough to hide Rainpaw from view, but she and Marah were in plain sight. Had Fadedtail's attacker vanished into the night or were they watching, waiting, finding a new victim?

A gust of wind flattened the grass and blew into their faces. In her veins she could feel the fire burning hot, scorching her blood. The Clans thought she was stable, that her experience with Atsiya had shown her how to control the powers she had, but she was not stable. The fire, the wind, the shadows, they had their own minds, their own opinions, their own _desires._ All she could do was struggle against them, keep them pinned down and locked away. What would they do if they found out that she was a whisker away from burning the valley to ashes at all times? What would they say if they knew how violent the wind churned in the back of her mind? Would they still think of her the same way if they knew of the voice, of the trips to the Edge, of the creature that dwelled in that darkness?

However much they loved her, they loved their peace more. After all she would always be Crimson's daughter, a constant reminder of a monster that had ripped them apart. She wondered sometimes if when she walked alongside her Clanmates they saw a shadow, red eyes and long fur, stalking beside her, watching over her.

"Sunheart," Marah called.

She flinched and raised her head, surprised to find Marah and Rainpaw already in the safety of ShadowClan's forest. Lost in her mind she'd stopped walking. The wind still raged, whipped the grass into a frenzy. She let loose a breath and embers flickered out with it. _Unstable_. She felt like a danger to her home, her family.

"Sunheart," Marah said again. "Are you alright?" Her voice was softened by the wind, nearly muted entirely.

"I'm fine," she shouted back. With a deep breath she strained to douse the flames roaring in her blood; quiet them to spot fires rather than an inferno. When the fire subsided the wind went with it, content to wait for yet another opportunity to sweep chaos through the valley.

Rainpaw squinted at her when she caught up. "You look worried, Sunheart."

"About Fadedtail," she replied. "She's a friend of mine, you know."

"She'll be fine, she's a strong warrior," Marah soothed.

Through the forest the glow of dawn settled, a soft, gentle light. The feel of urgency had waned when they'd stepped into their own territory and now they took their time; Marah pausing to point out herbs to Rainpaw. A squirrel flicked its head up over the arch of a root and Sunheart moved, shot over the root and grabbed it before it could escape up into the branches. They ate by a patch of coltsfoot then buried the bones and continued. It was a little before sunhigh when they slipped under the fallen trees and stepped into camp. Icestar was sat on the log she spoke to the Clan from, distracted, eyes focused on something far away; Cyrith, keeping her company while she was lost in her own mind, reached over and nuzzled her, murmuring something into her ear. She blinked away the distant expression, nipped his ear with a playful smile then slipped off the log.

"You're back," she said. There was a frazzled look to their leader, a worry in her eyes that Sunheart had thought would never appear again; it intensified when her gaze fell to her son. "Marah, could we talk? I'd like to hear what happened."

"Do you need me as well?" Sunheart asked. She was worried for Icestar. Dealing with this sort of thing as a Chosen had been bad enough: the unsureness, the fear of an unseen foe. Dealing with it as a leader, someone with an entire Clan of lives to protect, had to be so much harder.

Icestar nodded as she made to follow Marah to the medicine den. "Yes, but after. I want _your_ opinion on Fadedtail."

Left alone, Sunheart was contemplating going to her nest for a nap when a tail brushed her spine. Breezepool grinned at her. "I was wondering when you'd be back," he said, and then narrowed his eyes, "you look worried. What's wrong?"

"Fadedtail's really hurt. She might get worse. She might _die_ ," Sunheart whispered.

He nuzzled her neck and the comforting feeling that came with it chased all her worries away. "Marah won't let her die, neither will Minnowstripe. She _will_ get better, Sunheart. Have faith. StarClan won't take her just yet."

Letting herself sag against him she said, "I thought all this was over: the attacks, the fear. It was a cat that attacked her. One of _us_ did it. There are no other cats in the valley, it had to be a Clan cat. I don't understand how a Clan cat could turn to murder now, after all we've been through, after all my family went through to bring them peace!"

"Hey, hey." Breezepool swept in front of her, muzzle pulled into a frown. "Don't get yourself worked up about this. We don't know for certain that it's a Clan cat, but if it is we _will_ find them before they hurt anyone else. Okay? You aren't alone in this, Sunheart, this isn't your burden to carry alone. If someone is attacking Clan cats then we'll all work together to find them. I promise."

"Thank you," she said, offering up a weak smile, "for being a good friend."

He purred, "anything for you. Come hunting with me? It might help take your mind off of Fadedtail."

"Icestar wants to talk to me. Can we go in a little bit?" As she spoke Icestar slipped from the medicine den - a haphazard den built in a tangle of tree roots, clumps of bramble threaded throughout to keep the herbs and visitors dry - looking concerned.

"Sure, I'll wait here," Breezepool said.

Sunheart flicked her tail in farewell and trotted over to meet Icestar, not at all liking the look on her leader's face. "I need you to tell me what you saw," Icestar demanded. " _Exactly_ what you saw."

"Didn't Marah tell you?" she asked, confused. They'd seen the exact same thing; the claw marks, the deathberry poison in Fadedtail's wound. Had Marah lied?

"Yes, she did, but I want to hear your opinion on it. Tell me about Fadedtail's injury."

 _Oh._ Now she understood. "It was a claw mark," Sunheart replied, "a cat claw mark. There was deathberry poison in the wound that was stopping it from healing properly and causing Fadedtail even more pain. It's why Minnowstripe sent for Marah, she didn't know what was going on."

Icestar sighed and hung her head. "I guess it was stupid to think this peace would last," she murmured. "Was there anything to tell you who might have attacked her?"

"No, nothing. It's like she was attacked by a ghost." Sunheart watched Icestar tilt her head back and stare at the sky, like she was searching it for answers. The clouds rolled on slowly by, peeking through the gaps in the canopy. They gave no answers, shared no wisdom, just continued on their trek across the sky.

"Have you noticed anything strange recently? The shadows, have they told you anything?" she asked quietly.

Sunheart ducked her head, ashamed. How was she supposed to tell her leader, her friend, someone that relied on her, that her powers weren't working properly anymore? The shadows didn't talk to her like a friend, they hadn't since the Earth's power had vanished. Now there was only silence when she plucked them out into the open and used them. "They haven't mentioned anything strange," she said, feeling a little guilty. It wasn't a complete lie; they hadn't said anything.

"Maybe it is a ghost," Icestar muttered. "Wouldn't be the strangest thing we've dealt with." She let loose a rattling sigh. "We'll get through this...whatever this is. You can go now, Sunheart, thank you for going with Marah."

"Are you okay? You look tired," Sunheart pointed out, seeing the slump in Icestar's shoulders.

She twitched her whiskers. "I have a whole Clan of cats relying on me to keep them safe, and now we have an enemy we know nothing about. It's a little stressful. I'll be fine; I have two mates and my kits to look after me, you as well. Being a leader was never going to be easy," she smiled. "Go on, take your mind off this ghost."

They parted ways, Icestar to her mates waiting with concerned faces; Rainpaw waited with him, Willowclaw's fluffy tail tossed over his shoulder. There was a soft smile on Icestar's muzzle as she leaned down to nuzzle her son. Sunheart watched them for a few moments, saw the peace and the love in their eyes. She wouldn't let some monster, ghost or not, tear apart the lives her family had built. She turned away from them, looking forward to something that would take her mind off of everything, only to see Breezepool leaving camp with Bumblenose. For a moment she stood there blinking, eyes on the fallen trees where the two of them had disappeared, then a sour feeling rose - it stung her throat and burned her heart.

He'd said he'd wait. They were going to go hunting, it was going to help her cast everything out of her mind. She _needed_ that right now, the ease and simplicity of chasing down prey through the forest with a friend by her side; she didn't even know _why_ it hurt so much that he'd left. It stung awfully.

She was still staring at the tangle of fallen trees when Stripefang appeared at her side. "You look like you need a friend," he said softly. The disappointment settling in her stomach felt wrong somehow. Stripefang rumbled a soothing purr. "Anything you want to do right now, we'll go do. Hunting, patrolling, shaking the trees with that power of yours. Anything."

"Yeah," she replied. "Let's go shake the trees or something."

So they did. They went out into the forest, past her brooding spot among the pines, over the creek that spilled its banks every time it rained, to the furthest part of ShadowClan's territory where the ground turned rough and the trees sparse as forest turned to mountain.

"Let go then," Stripefang laughed, finding himself a spot a little way off to stand. "Shake the trees."

The fire took wing first. It burst free from its confines with all the rage and power of a thunderstorm rolling over the mountains. She exhaled a harsh breath at the raw feeling it left in her veins. The wind whipped it up and around, kept it in a pocket of air so it wouldn't set light to the forest. It felt so _good_ to set it free, to feel it thrumming in the air around her; an electric thrill. Then, from that dark place in her mind, swept out the shadows. They were stronger today, dangerously so, and they swamped the forest. Still it was silent. Not a whisper or a word. Just stifling silence as they rocketed up the trees and devoured the leaves in an explosion that left Sunheart at the centre.

The darkness receded slowly, reluctant to give up its grip on the trees. It was strange to feel that much resistance from it. Usually it was more than happy to return to its quiet dwellings. Slowly it conceded defeat and dissipated. But what it left behind was much worse. All around them fell dead leaves, falling from the dead branches of dead trees that had been alive moments before. Panic seized Sunheart, clutched tight at her lungs and her heart. _What have I done?_ Even the grass spreading from her paws to the base of the trees was dead. It was a circle. It surrounded her, this death she'd created.

Heart firmly lodged in her throat she spun to face Stripefang beyond relieved to see him still standing there, watching her with something like awe stuck on his face. The fear and panic was swiftly replaced with guilt and shame and loathing. This was the power that had saved the Clans. This was the power that had changed her pelt from inky black to shining gold; the power that had earned her the title of hero. Her eyes traced the circle of dead forest that now surrounded them. "Sorry," she whispered hoarsely.

"It's fine." His eyes too darted from dead tree to dead tree. "Not quite what I meant when I said shake the trees." He paused, furrowed his brow and then said, "none of us understand what it feels like to have all that power inside of us. We don't know what it does to you. So when you need to do things like this, just do it. Maybe not in the middle of camp if it does this," he purred, "but find a place where you can let it go. Might make you feel better."

He didn't look at her like she was a monster even though he'd just witnessed what was the worst her shadow power had ever done - stripped the very life from living plants. It was...freeing. "Thank you," Sunheart said.

"For what?" Stripefang asked as he shook his pelt free of crumbling bits of dead leaf.

"For not freaking out."

He paused, head twisted to nab a twig tangled in his fur. "Why would I freak out? You'd never hurt me, you like me too much," he teased. "I watched you on the ice that day, Sunheart. I saw what you were willing to do for us, and I won't ever forget that. You're no different because of that power. You're still a Clan cat with it or without it. You're still a warrior. You're still my friend."

"Have you been working on that speech for a while?" she laughed. How could she tell him just how much she'd needed to hear that?

Stripefang feigned offense, "of course not! That was all made up on the spot!"

"It was good, very heartfelt. Let's go find something to eat."

They stayed away from camp, drifted closer to ThunderClan's border, creeping through the forest after prey. Time passed and they were oblivious to it, caught up in the thrill of the chase, in the pitch of their laughter amongst the trees. A returning border patrol offered to carry some of their catch home, a bundle of mice and squirrels, a frog and a lizard too. Cyrith, settling very easily into his role as a father, reminded them both to be home when the sun set. Then they were left to their own devices once again, disappearing back into the grass and the lengthening shadows.

She felt like a normal warrior, free from the burdens of a bloody lineage, free from the strains of a power that was acting up, free from _everything_ but her duties as a Clan cat. If she closed her eyes she could imagine herself, a young apprentice born into the Clan finally getting the chance to run riot through the forest with siblings and friends she'd grown up with.

It was only a dream of course and eventually everyone has to wake up.

They burst onto ThunderClan's border the rabbit they'd been chasing shooting down a burrow and out of sight. Stripefang opened his mouth, probably to complain, but a shriek - loud and pained - tore through the quiet of early sunset. A cool breeze curled through the trees, blown in from ThunderClan. On it came the sharp taste of blood. Immediately they leaped over the border and set about following the sickly smell. Light was rapidly fading, ThunderClan's tall, thick trees swallowing the weakening beams.

Someone else was crashing through the forest nearby.

"I'll deal with them," Sunheart shouted to Stripefang.

"What? Sunheart, wait!"

But she was already moving, pouncing over a toppled tree. Whoever it was they were making their presence very well known. She couldn't catch a scent over the blood that lingered in the air. "Fine," she growled. "We'll just have to wait and see who it is." A flash of gray fur caught her eye and, without putting much forethought into it, she turned and launched herself at it. They made an _oof_ sound when she crashed into them and they both tumbled to the forest floor, rolling out into a space amongst the trees. Her face was already pulled into a snarl when she looked down to meet Breezepool's shocked gaze.

"Get _away from here!_ " another voice hissed.

Sunheart snapped her head up only to find herself nose to nose with an enraged Whitestream. It took her a few heartbeats to blink past the furious queen in her face and see the blood, fresh and wet, coating her muzzle and throat. Carefully she inched over a little and fought back a horrified cry. She'd only seen them a few days ago, playing down near the lake with their mother and father. Nightkit's bent and broken body stared back, soaked in the blood gushing from the gouge in her stomach, the one that stretched from chin to tail.

"I said," Whitestream snarled, expression more anguished than angry, " _get away!_ "

In a usual show of his awful timing Stripefang chose that moment to appear from around a tree. Sunheart saw the exact moment his eyes landed on Nightkit, watched him stiffen. His eyes went from the kit's body to her, still pinning Breezepool to the ground, then to Whitestream bearing down on them. There were others too; Bumblenose was trembling, leaning against the broad trunk of an oak. Emberstorm looked stunned.

"Did you do this!?" Whitestream howled, advancing on Sunheart.

She stumbled off Breezepool. "No! Why would I do this!? We heard the shriek and came to help!" she cried.

"Then _why_ do you smell like blood!?"

Emberstorm spoke then, his voice shaky, "Whitestream, everything smells like blood here. Leave her be. She didn't do this."

With a throaty growl Whitestream shoved away from the ShadowClan warriors and crouched down by her daughter's side. "I want to know who did this," she spat, "so I can _tear_ them apart. So, so I can make them pay for this!"

"I know, I know. We'll find them," Emberstorm cooed. "We'll find them." But it looked like he didn't truly believe what he was saying.

Breezepool brushed up against Sunheart's side and he was saying something but she wasn't listening to him. Her attention had been captured solely by what was slowly dripping down the trunk of the tree just behind Nightkit. She supposed its shape had been perfect a little while ago but now it was slowly dribbling away. It was there though, in plain sight, scarlet and gruesome.

A paw print.


	3. They Die

**Chapter Three: They Die**

It wasn't much bigger than Sunheart's own paw: the bloodstained print on the tree. There was something like satisfaction in the knowledge that she had been correct. Fadedtail's attacker was a cat. But to attack again, and so soon...it was worrying. There was no other evidence left behind. No scents, no fur, no other paw prints, nothing. They'd left their mark behind on purpose and then vanished into thin air.

"Sunheart?" Breezepool said.

She was about to answer him when _it_ caught her eye, lazily slipping from branch to branch, a shadowy shape she knew all too well. The creature from the Edge dangled its forepaws from a branch above the paw print, muzzle upturned in a crooked smile that showed its jagged teeth. Burning amber eyes watched her, studied her. She watched back. She would not fear it, this _thing_ her imagination had served up. " _You've found yourself in a bit of trouble. You can't kill a ghost,"_ it hissed.

Refusing to give it the satisfaction of an answer she turned her attention back to Breezepool. "You said something?"

"Can you see who did this? Like you did with Wrenfeather?" he repeated.

If she had her blood power she'd do that in an instant, but Crimson had stripped it from her. It had only ever been a borrowed strength. The creature slid lower, wafted a shadowy paw over the blood dripping down the tree. "No," she said. "Crimson took that power away from me." No one but the Chosen knew of her blood power. It was a secret she was reluctant to share with anyone else. The shadows were one darkness, the blood inside the bodies of others was another.

"I guess we'll just have to find them the hard way," Breezepool sighed. He looked worried. Everyone look worried, even Stripefang; trying so hard not to look at the broken body. Emberstorm was talking to him, and Stripefang was smiling, but it was weak and wavering.

From the tall grass smothering the trees emerged Shiverstar, every inch of her radiating rage. "Please tell me we have at least _some_ inkling of who did this," she demanded.

Emberstorm turned from Stripefang. "None, Shiverstar. Only the pawprint on the tree. It's a cat for sure, but the rest is a mystery."

"Then there is no need for the ShadowClan warriors to still be here." Her tone was cold, her gaze even more so. A darkness flitted across her face when she looked at Nightkit. It stayed there when she faced the ShadowClan warriors, a distrust, an uncertainty. It ruffled Sunheart.

She opened her mouth to ask if Shiverstar thought they'd done it, but Breezepool interrupted her. "We're sorry for your loss," he said. "We'll get out of your territory now. If you need help...you know where we are."

"We've had practice burying our Clan mates," Shiverstar remarked dryly.

Sunheart had had enough. "We didn't do this, and don't say that's not what you're thinking. I can see it. _Why_ would we do this?"

"Don't," Breezepool murmured, "you'll make things worse."

"No. Blaming each other for this _awful_ incident will make things worse. We have to work together to find who's doing this before they kill again. They attacked Fadedtail _yesterday_ , and have already struck again. Who's to say that you won't be next? Or me? Or another kit? We can't blame each other," she argued.

Shiverlight's hackles bristled, "I have been leader of this Clan for less than six moons and already I have had to bury two of my cats. Excuse me for being a little upset about it. You don't need to be here anymore, go home."

They stood staring, both as defiant as the other, till Sunheart turned her back on the ThunderClan warriors. Let them mourn, let them bury, let them blame. When they returned to their senses and came searching for help, she would be there for them - always. For now though her company was not wanted. "Come," Sunheart said to her Clan mates. "Icestar will want to hear about this."

ThunderClan's forest was eerily quiet, like it too was mourning. So they respected the silence and kept it long after they had crossed into their own land. Unease settled over Sunheart. It took a special kind of monster to murder a kit in cold blood.

Bumblenose broke their uneasy silence. "You were really brave back there, Sunheart," she murmured.

"She's always brave," Breezepool said almost proudly.

Her skin heated. "I only said what was right, we can't blame each other."

"Do you remember what Stormstar said at the last gathering? He said his Clan had picked up a strange scent in their territory, but never found what it belonged to. What if _that_ was the murderer?" Stripefang questioned.

Sunheart blinked at him, "I'd forgotten about that! But...if it was them, how did the RiverClan cats not pick up a feline scent from them? They're a cat, we know that much for sure." The memory of the bloody paw print was still vivid in her mind.

"Maybe they disguised their scent?" Breezepool pondered. "All I could smell back there was mud."

A mouse darted out from under a bush followed swiftly by Icestar, her claws sinking into its side and bringing its escape to an abrupt stop. Stripefang let out a squawk and stumbled back into Bumblenose, nearly tripping the two of them into a bramble patch. Their leader licked a spatter of blood from her paw, eyeing the four of them suspiciously.

"You four nearly chased off my mouse," she said.

Sunheart ducked her head, "sorry, Icestar. We didn't know anyone was out hunting." It was getting a little late for it, the sun nearing the horizon, casting long shadows through the trees. Only a few slipped out of their nests after sundown to hunt in the night.

"Well I didn't lose it so no harm done," Icestar purred. "Now what were you talking about? Disguising scents?"

"Oh, you heard that?" Breezepool replied sheepishly.

She snorted, "you weren't exactly being quiet about it."

Breezepool looked to Bumblenose, who looked to Stripefang, who stared down Sunheart. She sighed. "I guess I'll have to be the one to tell you then," she muttered. "Stripefang and I were hunting near ThunderClan's border when we heard a scream, so we went to investigate. We ran into Breezepool and Bumblenose, and then found some ThunderClan cats. Whitestream's kit, Nightkit, she was...she was killed, Icestar."

"She was...killed?" Sunheart watched the way Icestar went rigid, the way her ears flicked back and her whiskers flattened against her face; saw the way fear took hold of her. "Was it the same creature that attacked Fadedtail?"

"Probably. They left a bloody pawprint behind on the tree," Breezepool answered.

There was rustling in the undergrowth behind Icestar. From it slipped Cyrith, eyes bright as he spotted his mate; then his gaze fell as he noticed the darkness in her expression, and those of the warriors stood in front of her. Willowclaw followed him with a victorious meow, scooping Cyrith's tail up in his mouth and tugging it. He too fell silent quickly at the uneasy atmosphere he'd stumbled into.

"What's going on?" the deputy asked.

"You remember Eaglestrike's friends, Whitestream and Smokefoot? They'd had kits recently: Nightkit and Eaglekit. These four heard shouting in ThunderClan territory so they went to investigate and discovered that Nightkit had been murdered." Icestar sounded so brittle. "The killer left a bloody paw print on the tree behind the body. They're taunting us."

Willowclaw's hackles bristled. "Sooner or later they are going to find out what happens when our Clans are messed around."

"How _much_ later?" Cyrith murmured, "they'll kill again and again until they're caught. It needs to be sooner, not later."

Through teeth gritted in frustration Willowclaw said to Sunheart, "have you seen anything? Sensed anything?"

She felt useless. "No. Nothing. It's like they're a ghost."

"There's no point arguing about it," Icestar sighed. "Come, back to camp now. It's late and we all have things to do in the morning."

Sunheart fell into step beside Cyrith as they trekked back through the dark of their territory, her ears flicked back and her face scrunched up into a look of concentration. She could feel Breezepool's eyes burning a hole in her pelt, but she didn't have the energy to deal with him. A few moons ago the Clans had stood upon the precipice of extinction, and she had been the deciding force in their resurgence. Now something else was stalking them but it seemed that she could nothing.

"What are you thinking about?" Cyrith's voice was quiet.

"Up until now I'd hoped Risingwhisper's death and the attack on Fadedtail were just coincidences; that Risingwhisper had chosen to die, and Fadedtail had only been wounded by a rogue. But now...it would be far too strange for Nightkit's death to be a coincidence as well," she told him.

Cyrith loosed a breath. "They have happened far too close together for it to be a coincidence, Sunheart. Two or three moons in between, then yes. But Fadedtail was attacked yesterday and today Nightkit is dead."

"Do...do you believe Risingwhisper was force fed deathberries?" Sunheart asked, careful that her question could not be heard by the others.

"I do, yes. Poisoning, murdering innocents, these are all declarations of war. Whatever is out there, stalking us, is _angry_ and it wants us to know. When we get back I want you to come with me. There's something I need to ask my mates, something you should hear too," he said.

Curious, Sunheart wanted to know what Cyrith planned to ask, but he merely turned his attention back to the well-trodden path. She was grateful to him, for everything. There were days when the fire in her blood grew too much, when it roared in her brain and ratted at its confines. Those days, without fail, Cyrith always found her. He'd lay down with her, watching and waiting, talking quietly about anything and everything; when she broke free, fought the fire back, he was there to wrap around her as an awful chill set in.

The camp was hushed when they padded past Thornfur - guarding the entrance. An exhausted and shaken up Bumblenose murmured goodnight and let Stripefang lead her to the warriors den. While Cyrith nudged his mates towards their den, an section of old rabbit warren dug under a tree, Breezepool planted himself in front of Sunheart.

"Look at me," Breezepool said. So she did. "What are you feeling right now? Tell me the truth." There were unspoken words lingering on his tongue: _remember your promise._

"I'm...I'm angry. At everything. At myself. At you. I saved these Clans, I brought them back, and today a kit died and I couldn't do a thing. I _couldn't_ stop it. I _can't_ stop it. And you, I needed you. You made me promise that I'd talk to you and I was going to, needed to. But then you walked out of this camp and left me," Sunheart seethed. She could taste smoke in the back of her throat.

He had the decency to at least look a little sheepish. "I hadn't wanted to leave, but Willowclaw put Bumblenose, Pebblefrost and I on a hunting patrol. He said we don't have enough warriors to allow for lazing around."

The harsh taste of smoke faded, but the anger in her veins still bubbled, "you could have said something, told me."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I can't promise that I'll always be here for you, because I can't stay attached to your side all day and night, but I will be here as much as I can. Okay?" he offered gently.

She felt guilty then that she had expected so much from him. They were warriors and both had responsibilities and duties. "I'm sorry too," Sunheart replied, "for assuming the worst. Still friends?"

Breezepool bumped heads with her, purring. "Definitely still friends." She thought her heart might thunder right out of her chest. "Your family is waiting for you," he said when he drew back. "I'll see you in the morning."

He was right, Cyrith was waiting with Willowclaw and Icestar by the tree. Shaking out her pelt Sunheart trotted over to join them, eager to hear what Cyrith had to say. "This better be important," Willowclaw was yawning when she joined them, "we could be sleeping right now."

Cyrith stuck his tongue out at him, "when have I ever had something to say that wasn't important?"

"This morning when you said mouse tasted better than lizard," Willowclaw retorted.

"How can anyone enjoy the taste of cold scales over warm flesh!?" he exclaimed.

Icestar snorted. "Settle down, kits, you can argue about prey later. So, what did you want to say, Cyrith?"

He lapped indignantly at his chest before he responded. "I mentioned this to Sunheart just before, but the actions that have occurred since Risingwhisper's death - the poisonings, the awful attack on Fadedtail, Nightkit's murder - they are declarations of war. They are very specific attacks targeting very specific cats: a medicine cat, a deputy, and now a kit. The healer, the backbone, the youth. Whoever is doing this, they're skilled, they know what they are doing."

It was easy to forget at times that Cyrith had lived for so much longer than any of them. He had seen war, taken part in it and lived through it. But Sunheart hoped he was wrong. She didn't know if the Clans could handle another war so soon. "It means we have more enemies," Icestar sighed. "I thought with Crimson dead and the Elementals destroyed we'd finally have peace."

"What if it's Amory?" Willowclaw asked. "His body was never found. We don't know if he's actually dead."

"Sneaking around isn't really his style," Sunheart growled. "He likes to be the centre of attention. Besides, I doubt he made it out of the valley alive - maybe Crimson killed him." Something felt strange, like she should _know_ what had become of Amory. Whatever had happened on the river after Ice had died was still a black gap in her memory. Why did it suddenly feel important?

"Let's hope it's not him. He's caused enough trouble," Icestar said.

Cyrith cleared his throat, "what I was actually trying to get at was the possibility that it could be a cat from the city. You spent time there when you went looking for Crimson. Up until that point Clan cats were only an oddity, stuck behind their mountain wall, hardly a concern. Then you left the mountain, chasing after a monster that had been Clan created. The city cats saw first hand what the strangers over the mountains could do."

"We left on good terms with the city cats. Titan and Miraz were grateful to us for our help in the battle," Icestar argued. "We assured them relationships between Clans and the city were strong."

"It's been moons since then," Cyrith reminded, "city bosses come and go rather quickly. It's not unusual for an ambitious cat to murder their way to city boss."

Willowclaw made a soft noise. "It feels like such a long time ago that we were in the city, like a lifetime ago. We should talk to Shiverstar about this, she worked as an assassin in the city she'd be able to tell us more about it."

"Next gathering I'll mention it to her," Icestar agreed. "You talk to Arrow. He's Titan's nephew, he might know something too."

"If it is a cat from the city, and these murders are declarations of war...does that mean we'll have to fight again?" Sunheart asked quietly.

There was a soothing rumble in Willowclaw's purr, "maybe this time we might be able to talk first instead of jumping straight into war."

They separated shortly after, the three of them ducking into Icestar's den and Sunheart slipping into the warriors den. Breezepool was fast asleep in the nest next to hers with Stripefang's tail flicked over his flank. She allowed herself a quiet laugh.

If the city bayed for war then it was a war they would get. In her veins the wind howled, ushering a forest fire to light. From the roof of the den unfurled a solid shadow, the first one she'd seen in moons that wasn't wispy or thin. If it was Amory...if it was him then he would learn what _true_ darkness was.

/ - \

It was cold, bitterly so. Rain hissed steadily, running down her flanks, dripping from her muzzle. The ground beneath her paws was waterlogged, so the water began to rise. Slowly she waded through it. A strong current tugged at her legs. Through the rain she could see mountains in the distance, but they didn't look like her mountains; too jagged, too high. Where was she? _Where am I?_

" _Phrixus!_ " The voice sounded thin through the rain. Pricked ears caught the sound of splashing nearby, like someone was running. In her chest her heart started to beat faster. But Sunheart was beginning to realise that this was not her body, just like the mountains were not her mountains.

"Phrixus, wait!" They sounded closer now and there was an edge of panic to their voice. "Please! We can talk about this!"

Something like a sob rattled out of Phrixus's chest. Their eyesight wobbled, grew blurry. Overhead thunder rumbled. They continued to stumble through the water, ignoring that with each step it grew deeper. It lapped at the bottom of their stomach now. "Please," he whispered, voice soft, "please stay away."

Cold water splashed at their face when the stranger that had been chasing them cut them off, skidding to a rapid stop in front of them. Her fur was gray and plastered to her sides, eyes wide and scared. " _Enough!"_ she yowled. "Stop running, Phrixus!"

"I have to keep running, Eris. I have to get as far away from here as possible. You saw what I did, what I _am_ ," he shouted back. Sunheart was settling deeper into this stranger's body; could feel every bit of self hatred that coursed through his blood. _What did you do?_ She felt it then, the shudder and pull of shadows from far away. He was a Shadowstalker.

Eris frowned at him and slugged through the water. She was shorter, the water higher lapping at the tops of her legs. "Why can't you see yourself like I can? This power doesn't define you. Come home, brother. They won't blame you."

Something bitter roiled under Phrixus's skin, something that demanded they did blame him, demanded that they _fear_ him. He curled his lip and hissed at her, "leave me alone. I want to get far away from here, so far I could never make it back even if I wanted to. It's what I deserve."

"You didn't mean to kill Morrigan! You didn't mean to kill her or her kittens. But you did and now you need to live with it. Running away isn't living with it!" Eris spat. "You swore an oath, Phrixus! To protect us, to protect our land. This, leaving, it's breaking that oath."

Inside Phrixus a coldness was spreading. She could feel it ice over his blood and seep into his heart. It was something she'd only felt once, right before tumbling into a freefall to the Edge; a killing calm, a cold _hate_. Shadows curled at his paws. Eris kept talking. "If you come back and take responsibility for what you did the group will forgive you. It might take time but they will, they respect bravery. But if you do this..." How could she not see the darkness swelling around Phrixus? How could she not feel the _wrongness_ flooding from him? "If you do this they will only ever see you as a coward."

He exploded. The darkness gathering at his paws flung itself at Eris and curled around her throat, tugging tight till she couldn't breathe. But inside his mind there was only silence; complete, eerie silence. Even as Eris fell to her knees, water brushing her chin, the shadows still choking the life from her, there was nothing in his mind. Then he spoke and the voice was not his own, "you are stupid to have pushed this hard for someone that no longer exists."

Eris struggled against the shadows at her throat, nothing but harsh noises and garbled words breaking free. Water surged over her chin, and then she was drowning. Her cries became nothing more than bubbles breaking the surface. Phrixus pushed the shadows harder. The water turned red. In the distance a roaring started up; Sunheart couldn't tell if it was inside his head, or outside. Through the coldness that had swallowed this Shadowstalker something broke through: a plea, a scream. " _LEAVE HER BE."_

That voice, unnatural and _wrong,_ spoke once more, "you belong to me now."

Eris stopped struggling.

A wave of water thundered over Phrixus.

Sunheart snapped awake, lungs burning and ears still roaring with the sound of raging water. It was still dark. Around her the other warriors slept soundly, peacefully. In the nest beside hers Breezepool wrinkled his nose; Stripefang, stretched out on his back, flicked his tail over Breezepool's face again. _Why did I see that? Is it a message? A warning?_ Something touched her cheek and she flinched, but it was only a thin shadow, flitting almost comfortingly over her fur.

She shivered, the phantom taste of rainwater lingered on her tongue. It would be nice to sleep one night without seeing either the Edge or someone else's life. But it was only a dream, she was safe here in the den. Sunheart lay her head back down on her paws and listened as her heartbeat returned to normal. _Safe._

 _/ - \_

"We shouldn't be doing this," Soaringhawk said again.

In front of him Thornfur snorted and peered at him over her shoulder. "Stop being such a kit. It's not dangerous to be out here anymore; we're safe!" she purred. With a flick of her spiky brown tail she heaved herself up and onto a fallen tree that lay over their path.

Pebblefrost followed with a strong leap, then it was only him left on the ground staring up at the two she-cats. He frowned. "Couldn't this have just waited till daylight?" The forest was...uncomfortable at night. An owl cried nearby and Soaringhawk quivered.

"No. Moonhigh meetings are always more romantic than sunhigh ones," Pebblefrost replied. "You want to see her and she wants to see you. We're not doing anything wrong. If it makes you feel any better we'll do some hunting on the way back."

He huffed out a breath of resignation and clambered onto the tree. "If we aren't doing anything wrong then why did we have to sneak out?"

Thornfur grinned, yellow eyes sharp in the darkness, "makes it more interesting. Unless you want Crowstrike to know what we're doing and who we're meeting. He'll make sure _everyone_ in the Clan knows by morning."

Cringing Soaringhawk dropped down the otherside of the tree. The scent of mouse caught his nose but it was stale. "Please no. Can we keep it a secret for a little while longer?"

"You know it's not frowned upon anymore, right?" Pebblefrost said, shaking a damp leaf from the bottom of her paw. "No one's going to be mad at you for it."

"I know. I just don't want everyone to know yet." It wasn't that he didn't like his Clanmates, or that he didn't trust them, he just preferred the simplicity of a relatively secret romance. He knew Frostfang felt the same way too. A spider web caught on his ear and wrapped around it; his frown deepened. If she wasn't waiting for them he'd turn around and go back to his nest.

Thornfur swatted the web away with her paw. "We're glad you told us. It's almost like you knew how much we love sticking our noses into other cats business."

"You make us sound like two elders," Pebblefrost laughed.

Despite the dark, despite the unease he felt, Soaringhawk knew he wouldn't change a thing. These were his friends, this was his territory; he'd survived Crimson and Amory and the Elementals, he could survive a walk to the RiverClan border and back. Besides, Frostfang was there and by the Stars he'd walk through death and back for her.

"Thinking about her, aren't you?" Thornfur said smugly. She was watching Pebblefrost chase after a frog.

"How'd you know?"

She tossed him a smile that was all warmth. "Got the same stupid grin I get whenever I think of Pebblefrost."

From a little way ahead came an excited squawk. "Thornfur! I found more frogs, come see!" With a grumble that sounded a lot like a fond utter of Pebblefrost's name, Thornfur pushed through the thick undergrowth till she was out of sight.

The scent of another mouse caught Soaringhawk's nose, and this time it was fresh. What better way to impress Frostfang than to bring her warm prey? Sinking into a crouch he prowled off the rough path they'd been following. ShadowClan territory was similar to what RisingClan's home had been like; all thick forest and wild beauty. It had been hard for a few of his Clanmates to adapt to hunting, but he'd been born to hunt in places like this. Silently he picked his way across the forest floor, mouse scent filling his nose.

He came to an abrupt stop some few fox leaps from the path, ears twisted back, confused frown spreading. The smell of mouse was strong, so strong that Soaringhawk was certain he must be almost right on top of it. But there was no sound of a mouse rustling around. Had it disappeared down a hole he couldn't see?

"Sorry, were you looking for this?"

The mouse he'd been hunting hit the ground in front of him, neck mangled and bloody.

A strong weight hit the back of him a heartbeat later and sent him sprawling. Over the sharp scent of blood he could smell mud, and deathberries. He fought to throw the weight off but whoever it was had him firmly pinned. A snarl threaded from his throat. His assailant laughed. "Silly warrior."

On the border between RiverClan and ShadowClan, Frostfang waited. She waited and waited until dawn filtered through the soft clouds, until she realised that Soaringhawk wasn't going to show. Overhead the clouds caught the rising sun and turned a pale shade of red.


	4. They Bury

**Chapter Four: They Bury**

Fire roiled uncomfortably beneath her skin. She twitched the muscle in her shoulder as if it would dispel the _wrong_ feeling that had settled over her. Water flicked up into her face and she squawked, rubbing it away. "Stormpaw!" Sunheart shouted, "we're supposed to be practicing!"

Stormpaw, usually fluffy gray pelt slicked back with water and darkened to almost black, grinned. "You were distracted! Had to grab your attention somehow." They were on the shoreline of the river near WindClan's territory, working on stalking silently over uneven surfaces like the stones beneath their paws. Stormpaw was quick to learn, but also quick to be distracted.

"Do you know what is the most important part of stalking?" she quizzed him.

"Light paws," he answered quickly.

Sunheart shook her head, "staying _silent_ ," and then flicked up a pawful of water from the river at him. He squealed and darted back into the shallows, kicking up water as he went. It soaked Sunheart from nose to tail but she couldn't help but laugh. "You're like a fish!" she shouted at him from the edge, "shooting back into deeper water at the first sign of danger."

"Not my fault you're scared of a little water," Stormpaw teased, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Oh, I'll show you scared!" Green leaf had brought warmth to the valley, the kind of warmth that was stifling on some days. Even in the morning the air was hot. Splashing into the water after Stormpaw wasn't really a challenge when the river was cool. He shrieked, backing deeper into the river so that it lapped at his belly. Sunheart reared up and brought her paws back into the water, surging it over the both of them.

"You're supposed to be teaching me how to be a warrior," he laughed.

She cuffed him gently over the head, "I am! Even as a warrior you can't forget to have fun sometimes." In that moment she wasn't in a river, instead she was standing in snow high up in the mountains, playing with a group of warriors despite the weight of the world weighing on her shoulders. A sad smile tugged at her muzzle. "Without fun I doubt we'd be here today."

"Willowclaw says you aren't allowed to look sad anymore," Stormpaw said, looking comical with water streaming off his whiskers. "He says you should live in the present more."

It stung a little that her sadness was obvious even to an apprentice, that said apprentice's father had spoken to him about not letting her be sad. But maybe Willowclaw was right. Maybe she should stop spending so much time dwelling on things that had already happened. The lapse in her attention had allowed the uncomfortable feeling to swell once more. She felt like something awful had happened, like her powers - borrowed and stolen - were trying to warn her.

Stormpaw nudged her with his nose. "I know," she whispered. "It's just hard. The things that happened, they're hard to forget, to not think about."

"Cyrith says we shouldn't forget the things that happened to us but learn to live with them instead. Like, accept they're a part of us, or something like that?" he wrinkled his nose.

"Those two do talk a lot, don't they?"

Stormpaw shrugged. "They're just worried. About you, about us, about the Clan."

They were interrupted by a voice shouting across the river, "I didn't know ShadowClan cats were practicing to become fish!" On WindClan's side stood Nettleflame and her apprentice Gullpaw, one of Heatherstar's kits. Stormpaw perked up at the sight of another apprentice and waved his tail in greeting.

"It's a super secret battle move!" he called back cheekily.

Nettleflame huffed out a quiet laugh. "I'm sure it is." They found a shallow part of the river and waded across, looking more at home in the water than the ShadowClanner's did. "I hope everything's well in ShadowClan?" she asked once she'd joined Sunheart.

Not wanting to worry WindClan with what had happened in ThunderClan Sunheart replied, "everything's good. We're settling into normal Clan life really well. How's WindClan?"

"You know, after living in SnowClan for so long I never expected how much I'd _love_ racing over the moors. It feels like the wind is almost alive and running alongside you. WindClan is great." Her face fell, "I just wish Aspenthorn was here to experience it."

"He's watching over you from StarClan, he knows you're happy and that you miss him," she said.

Nettleflame looked sceptical. "I know I said I believed Tornheart when she said StarClan has returned, but it's hard to believe in them again. They've never shown themselves to me. If Aspenthorn could visit, wouldn't he have already?"

It was a concern even Sunheart had faced, and still faced. In the moons since StarClan's return, they'd never once appeared for her; Eaglestrike had never come to see her. Icestar had told her about the times when Rainpatch had visited her, that he'd saved her life and warned her something big was coming. So why hadn't no one come down to help them now? There was a murderer running riot through the Clans, one that had killed an innocent kit, yet StarClan was silent.

"I can understand why you're struggling to believe in them," Sunheart said honestly.

"You don't...think badly of me?" There was a note of worry in her voice.

She shook her head, "no. It would be wrong to expect everyone to immediately fall back into looking up to StarClan. I think it's going to take a lot of time."

They were interrupted by Stormpaw splashing over to them shouting at the top of his lungs, "Gullpaw caught a fish! He actually caught one! You should have seen it, it was so _cool_!" Behind him followed Gullpaw, head tilted back proudly, silver fish dangling from his mouth.

"Well done!" Nettleflame purred. "See, I told you it would only be a matter of time. We'd better take it back to camp so you can show your mother." Gullpaw's eyes shone as he nodded frantically. "Say goodbye then."

"Bye!" he chirped from around the fish.

Stormpaw grinned at him, "will you come show me how to fish one day?"

"Sure!"

They stayed on the river's edge till Nettleflame and Gullpaw disappeared into their own territory. "Let's do some hunting on the way back. You can show me your father's famous hunting technique."

"Which father?" Stormpaw asked, wet paws slipping on the stones.

Sunheart snorted, "you know which one. Only Willowclaw could make shoddy hunting famous."

They were only halfway back, meandering as they hunted, Sunheart giving Stormpaw tips, when that uneasy feeling crashed down even harder, gripped her by the throat and threatened to strangle her. As it did the undergrowth ahead of them rustled frantically and a familiar gray pelt burst out, flanks heaving, fear rolling off them. Sunheart slipped in front of Stormpaw, then let her hackles rest when she recognised Breezepool. He looked at her with frightened eyes.

"Oh thank, _StarClan_ ," he exclaimed, then rushed forward to press his nose into her shoulder, "you're both alright."

She let him rest his nose there for a few heartbeats before she shifted away, ears flicked back, concern making her heart thunder. "What do you mean? Of course we're alright. I told Willowclaw I was taking Stormpaw out until Soaringhawk returned."

A mix of grief and guilt darkened Breezepool's gaze. "You both need to come back to camp," he said solemnly, "immediately. There's...there's something you both need to know." Stormpaw stepped out from behind her, and Breezepool's expression grew even darker.

"Has something happened?" Stormpaw asked.

Breezepool turned to head back to camp but said over his shoulder, "it's best if you see it for yourself." Gently, soothingly, Sunheart flicked her tail against his flank. He gave her a smile that might have been grateful if it wasn't tainted with tension.

As they walked, Stormpaw oddly silent but still carrying the prey they'd caught, she drifted close enough to Breezepool that their pelts brushed. "Tell me. Please," she whispered.

"I...I can't, I just can't." She saw then the true fear that lay in his eyes, that shivered down his spine. It terrified her. Something awful had happened, and she'd been out playing. Shame dragged at her; she could have done something.

"That's fine." Sunheart butted her head into his shoulder. "It's bad, isn't it?"

He just nodded.

They stepped onto the well-trodden path outside their camp a little after sunhigh. A bubble of silence wrapped around them, eerie and stifling. There was no guard on duty and that made the heart in her chest beat frantically. Even in the few moons of peace there had been a guard placed at the camp mouth; foxes and badgers were still dangers to be looked out for. She wanted to grab Stormpaw and cover his eyes from whatever horrible thing lay waiting for them inside.

Breezepool touched his nose to Stormpaw's ear before they padded under the fallen trees. Her paws remained stuck to the ground until she heard Stormpaw let out an anguished cry. _Not Icestar, not Willowclaw, not Cyrith, please not them, please._ The Clan had been huddled in a tight circle, but now they'd split in half to let Stormpaw through, and it was from the camp mouth that Sunheart saw who lay unnaturally still upon the ground.

Blood crusted in his fur, crept along his throat and down his chest like some foul insect. Soaringhawk's expression was slack, his whiskers frayed; dirt and scraps of leaves were caught under his claws. Her blood curdled when she saw what was staining his mouth, the dark red of crushed deathberries. A ferocious anger burned through her, clawed at her skin, as if it wanted to burst free. But then her eyes found Thornfur and Pebblefrost crouched by his side, grief stricken; and Stormpaw, face buried in the fur of his mentor. The anger melted away, replaced by a bone deep sadness.

Silently, the Clan held vigil over their fallen friend. The sun set, cast long fingers of gold, and still they sat, till the stars took up their mantels in the sky and the moon bleached everything white. Marah stood then and padded into her den, returning moments later with a mouthful of herbs. Gently she began to work them into Soaringhawk's pelt at the same time that Rainpaw started to wash the bloodstains from him. The scent of death was soon replaced with that of rich herbs, of life - an illusion that he was merely sleeping.

Outside camp there was an oak tree, towering and strong. They carried Soaringhawk out to it, under the eyes of the stars, and dug a grave at its base; the first grave for ShadowClan. Once it was filled in Icestar brushed her tail over the fresh mound of dirt and said, firmly, "we will not rest until Soaringhawk's death is avenged. His killer will face justice."

Slowly, in pairs and groups, the Clan returned to camp. But not Sunheart. No, she backed into a patch of darker forest and wrapped herself in shadows till everyone had left. "I'm sorry," she said and pressed a paw into the fresh dirt, "that I wasn't there to save you. I promised to protect this valley and everyone in it, and I failed you."

"Sunheart." She'd known he was there, had heard him, but she'd kept talking anyway. A testament, perhaps, to how much trust she'd placed in him. "Sunheart, what are you doing out here? It's not...safe anymore."

A tiny flame flickered to life in front of her muzzle. "I can take care of myself," she replied. The flame shifted away from her, bobbing slowly over to the grave where it would stay until Soaringhawk's killer was found; a vigil of her own.

"I know you can, but whoever is hunting us, they might be more powerful than even you," Breezepool said quietly. For a little while they sat next to each other in silence, watching the little flame bob and waver in the breeze. "You can't blame yourself for Soaringhawk's death."

Sunheart turned her head away and stared out into the darkness of the forest. "I did nothing to help him. I haven't been looking for this murderer. I've done _nothing_ , and now a Clanmate has died because of it."

"What could you have been doing?" he demanded. "We know nothing about who it is, what they want, or where they're hiding. They are a _ghost_ to us right now. There is nothing you could have done or could be doing, except what you're doing now."

A hiss threaded from her throat, "what am I doing now?! Nothing!"

She twisted her head back to him only to find him watching her, a sort of sadness in his eyes, like he could see all the expectations she had placed on her own shoulders. "You're being here for your Clanmates. To them, after what you did to save them, you do protect them, everyday. When you hunt, when you patrol, when you spend time with the apprentices, and when you do this," he nodded to the flame, "they don't expect anymore from you."

"I know they don't expect anymore from me, but they _deserve_ more. They….this Clan, all the Clans, they mean so much to me and I want them to thrive. I don't want them to live under the shadow of fear anymore," she whispered. These Clans deserved _so much_ for what they'd been through and she wanted to give that to them; an eternity of peace.

Breezepool sighed and shifted closer. "You're amazing, Sunheart, and you've done so much for all of us. But don't you think that maybe you deserve a break from being a hero? We'll find this murderer together, as a Clan. So please don't put all this on your shoulders. It's not only your weight to bare."

"You always manage to show up when I'm falling apart," she murmured, leaning into his side.

He huffed out a quiet laugh. "It's my superpower, always being able to tell when you're feeling down."

"Thank you," she said, "for always being here for me."

She felt him shrug. "I care about you, being there for you isn't hard. So long as you're here for me as well."

The words made her pelt feel warm and her heart flutter. With a purr she replied, "always."

"I'm very glad to hear you say that. Come on, let's head back to camp.

The sun rose on a bleak day in ShadowClan. A darkness haunted the Clan, lurked in the camp, stalked the shadows of every warrior and apprentice. They were no strangers to death but this kind of death in a time supposedly made for peace, it rubbed old wounds raw. Without summoning them they gathered in front of the Speaking Log, waiting for their leader to soothe their worries.

Icestar looked haggard when she pulled herself atop the log. On the ground in front of it Cyrith and Willowclaw looked at her with concern. She inhaled a big breath, let it out a moment later, and squared her shoulders as if preparing herself for whatever she was about to say. "Yesterday we lost a kind friend, a great warrior, and a wise mentor. Soaringhawk did not deserve what happened. He deserved to live a long, happy life. I promise you all that we will find his killer and when we do we will make them wish they had never stepped foot in our lands."

A battle cry sounded from Pebblefrost - gentle Pebblefrost - that was picked up by the Clan and passed around till it reached the sky above. Sunheart saw a promise in the she-cat's eyes, to her fallen friend, that she would avenge him. At her side Thornfur yowled the same promise.

When the commotion died down Icestar spoke once more. "There is one more duty I must perform today," she said, voice strong even as it wavered with the grief that shone on her face, "even if it pains me to do so. Stormpaw, come here." His tail dragged along the ground - he and Soaringhawk had been as close as any mentor and apprentice. "I have thought very much about who should carry on your mentoring and while no one will ever be able to replace Soaringhawk I know this cat will do everything they can to make you _strong_. Stormpaw, your mentor will be Sunheart."

The world narrowed down to nothing in that moment. All Sunheart could see was Stormpaw's shining face when they played in the water yesterday morphing into one of pure agony at the sight of Soaringhawk bloodstained and cold. Her paws moved without her permission, carrying her to her apprentice - _her apprentice_ \- where he waited at the foot of the Speaking Log. In that moment, when she leaned down to touch her nose to his, she knew she would do anything to keep him from harm. He was family.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.

He gave a weak smile, "we'll be fine, right?"

She nodded, but in truth it was a question she could not answer.

The Clan cheered but a sickly feeling was growing in Sunheart's stomach. Her powers were roiling together, churning and bubbling. From the trees behind the Speaking Log uncurled a creature she wished would stay in the recesses of her mind. It crept from tree to tree, slithered around the trunks and crawled along the branches until it was reaching for the log. Its wispy, smoke-like body didn't even touch the bark but rather floated above it. Everything in her body was _screaming_ at her to do something, to get it away from here, from camp. But all she could do was watch it turn its fiery amber eyes on Icestar and _grin_.

" _I think,_ " it hissed, horrifying and cruel, " _you know just as well as I do that this is only the beginning, my dear."_

It turned that burning hot gaze on her and _laughed_.

* * *

an: hi i didn't die i just got lazy. this chapter is a little crappy but i'm back!


End file.
